


Aria’s Grace

by piecesofsolas



Series: Vindicated Universe [4]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition, Female Lavellan/Solas - Fandom, Papa Solas - Fandom
Genre: AU, F/M, Fluff, Lavellan/Solas Fluff (Dragon Age), Protective Solas (Dragon Age)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-06
Updated: 2020-08-06
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:53:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25742395
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/piecesofsolas/pseuds/piecesofsolas
Summary: After the chaos of war, Solas and IIyana retire to a cottage, tucked away in the Dales, where they spend their days in peaceful bliss.
Relationships: Female Lavellan / Solas
Series: Vindicated Universe [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1270367
Comments: 7
Kudos: 16
Collections: Solasmance Cottage AU Challenge





	Aria’s Grace

The golden streaks of dawn were barely peeking over the horizon when little soft feet paddles across the plush rug, each step bouncing with excitement, as they came to a stop beside the bed.

"Papae." The little voice whispers into his ear. When he doesn't wake, she places two little hands upon his cheeks, pressing gently into his skin. 

"Papae," she tries again.

Solas pretends to sleep, cherishing his name upon her lips. She smells like fresh air and sunshine with a hint of honeyed candy he is sure she's smuggled into her room the night before. A skill, Solas must confess, acquired from a weekend getaway to her aunt Sera.

"Papae. Fish," she groans, her little hands pulling at the soft fabric of his shirt.

Solas sighs to himself. His child is without discipline, a trait, he might add, comes from too many hours with her uncle Eri.

It didn't matter how many hours he's tried to instill patience into Aria's daily teachings, his little bundle of mass chaos had a mind of her own. And he had learned that she could be just as stubborn and persistent when she wanted something, a trait he is proud to admit, she acquired from him. 

Solas opened one sleepy eye and beheld his four-year-old daughter looking bright and alert as she leaned down to give him a morning kiss. "Good morning, Aria," he murmured against her skin. "What time is it?"

"Fishing," she whispered, eyes darting over his shoulder to her sleeping mother, then back to him. 

Unlike her father, Aria had been up way before dawn, staring at her ceiling, counting little butterflies, waiting until the break of dawn before she woke up her papae. Just like he asked her to do the night before. And now, she can barely contain her excitement because today was her birthday, and papae had promised they would go fishing. 

"Aria, it's too early," Solas mumbles, wiping the sleep from his eyes.

"Uncle Eri says now is the best time."

She is too precious and he can't deny her. A faint smile tugged at his lips and creased at the side of his eyes as he mumbles, "Alright, but we have to be quiet. Mamae is still sleeping. Go get dressed, and I will come brush your hair."

Aria squeals with delight, then just as quickly, covers her mouth with both hands, shoulders shaking with excitement. Solas wraps his arms around her tiny frame, places a morning kiss upon her temple, then sends her off. He waits until she disappears through the door before turning to the sleeping woman beside him.

Even asleep, IIyana still took his breath away. He listened to her gentle breathing and pressed a soft kiss on her shoulder, then a soft, warm kiss on the nape of her neck. 

She sighs dreamily as his arms curved around her body, pulling her closer against his chest.

"I love you," Solas whispers.

Idly, his hand roamed lower, moving over her sleepy figure until he touched the heavy curves of her breast. He felt her stirred beneath his touch, but her eyes remained closed. Beneath the curve of her breast, her belly swelled inviting. She blossomed a little more each day, the babe she carried snug within her womb. His magic hums brightly against the dark shadows of the room, searching, feeling for a rapid heartbeat. He finds it and sighs with relief. 

Two more months until they add another to their small family of three. 

It felt like only yesterday when Solas carried IIyana through the threshold of the two-bedroom cottage he'd painstakingly built with his two hands. The modest dwelling was the exact replica of the cottage he'd sketched and gifted her for Wintersend - a piece he'd drew after she'd asked him to share his greatest heart's desire. 

IIyana mumbles something in her sleep, her body turning as she lays on her back. One arm is draped lazily across her abdomen, the other, a stump of muscle long healed, rest by her side. It was an old injury from long ago - an injury that he feels he will never atone for. But each time his guilt threatens to drown him in an ocean of sorrow and despair, IIyana is always there to pull him ashore. And it is her love that has kept him alive.

Placing another kiss upon her brow, he gets out of bed and quickly dresses for the day. His daughter waits by the door, fishing pool in hand, and a basket of snacks in the other. She didn't wait for him to brush her hair, having pulled strands of silver into a messy bun atop her head. Dressed in a green dress with wet boots and a soft, yellow sweater, she beams brightly, and his heart melts.

They take the path that curves around the cottage, passing a garden of flowers, a patch of fresh earth ready to be planted, and through the wooden gates. 

Aria skips happily, running through the forest, her expression carefree as she picks an array of flowers, taking time to gather herbs for her mother, and collecting a few more rocks to add to her collection at home. 

His lips quirk into a smile when she stops suddenly and hands him a stem of crystal grace, freshly plucked, its edges caked with dirt from the morning rain. He accepts it with a grin, which earns him a shy smile. He thinks he's life has never been complete. 

But his smile soon falters seconds later as she skids across the path, and he is afraid she may get hurt. The last time they went fishing, she'd fallen on a rock, scrapping her knee, tidbits of blood running down her leg. He immediately panicked, was near an existential crisis by the time IIyana arrived to patch their daughter up. Thankfully, all was well, and the family returned home.   


He is learning to be less afraid. He is learning to let his little girl be a girl. He is learning, and that was all that mattered. But perhaps for today, he can't be too careful as he hurried after her.

Solas walks with Aria down the grassy banks of the stream, where she discards the basket of snacks beneath a giant oak tree. Moments later, he is presented with a handful of worms as he crouches down to help her hook one into the end of her fishing pool.

She squirms in disgust and makes a face. "Yuck! You touch it." 

He chuckles. "Me? You do it." 

"No!" she protests. "You."

He takes one from her hand, holds it between his fingers, and then gives her a wicked smile. She shakes her heads, but she smiles with anticipation. The worm flies into the air, followed by childish laughter as she squeals to get away. She is shaking with laughter by the time he catches up to her. And the moment stands still. His little girl with her beautiful green eyes and expressive personality that reminds him so much of her mother explodes into a thousand rays of sunshine laughter as he tosses her into the air.

She giggles, her smile bright and radiant, as she wraps her hands around his neck and happily sighs, "I love you, papae."

His heart stops, and he is overwhelmed. Afraid he'll make a fool of himself, he holds his daughter against his chest and gives her the same words he gives her mother - _she is his heart, and he loves her._

He is patient as he teaches her to string her bait. She is curious as ever, brows dipping with curiosity as he explains why fish prefers worms over breadcrumbs and why using magic takes all the fun out of fishing. He smiles warmly as she skids into the stream, knees deep, before casting the fishing rod into the water. Moments later, she squeals with delight, waving him to her, as they both reel the fish in.

”Papae, look, ” Aria says as she held the fish with both hands. ”Fish has mustache like Unca Dori.” She giggles until his shoulders shakes with mirth and he imprints the moment to memory. 

The next three hours passed as if they were but a few minutes, and by the end of it, Solas confirms that his little Aria was not only a better fisherman but a thoroughly witty and adorable companion as well. By the time they arrive back at the cottage, IIyana is waiting for them by the door. 

"Mamae!" Aria runs straight into her mother's loving arms. 

Solas watches as mother and daughter chatted animatedly about Aria's fishing trip and the five catches she made that morning. She hugs her mamae than darts inside, and Solas feels a sudden loss - the morning had ended too soon. He wishes he can capture this moment forever. As he is walking towards IIyana, a blur of energy runs past the threshold, and little arms wrap around his legs.

"Thank you, papae," said Aria. Just as quickly, she is gone, running through the house and into her room.

"Good morning, Vhenan," Solas whispers, pulling her into his arms.

Her lips are gentle against his, "good morning," IIyana sighs before another kiss leaves her breathless. Lost in the moment, neither paid attention to their surroundings, their world melting away with each kiss. But then, IIyana suddenly gasps, and Solas is worried he'd hurt her somehow. Seeing his concern expression, she laughs softly and reaches for his hand, placing it on the side of her stomach.

"Your son is active this morning," she sighs happily. "He's been kicking me for the past hour."

The moment is incredible - a shared experience between two individuals who would soon welcome another child into their lives. Solas is suddenly overcome with emotion, tears threatening to spill unto his cheeks. His arms tightened around IIyana, pulling her close, so close that she could feel his heartbeat. He remembers their time at Skyhold, he remembers her defeated face when he took her arm, and he remembers her bravely riding across the battlefield to save his soul from the depths of hell. 

"Thank you," he whispers against her temple. "Thank you for not giving up on me even when it was difficult. Thank you for giving me Aria - for this new life we've created." 

Her hand comes up to cup his cheek. It is warm and loving, a gentle reminder that what they have is real. This life they've created is real. The love she has for him had never faltered, even when all seemed lost. "I will never give up on you, Solas."

She understands why he is so emotional. She remembers standing with him over the wooden cradle as they both watched Aria sleep, shortly after her birth. Solas had taken IIyana's hand in his and brought it to his lips. "You are my heart," he rasped. "You have given me more happiness than I could ever imagine. You have cleared away all the darkness, filling it with love and hope. And for that, you have my heart, body and soul. But she ..." He glanced down at Aria wonderingly. "She is my flesh and blood."

Moved by his words, IIyana had realized how alone he's always been. Even when he took on the mantle of the Dred Wolf, he didn't have any family or close friends until the Inquisition. Even after the horrible things he'd done, his friends were still there to forgive him. Her fingers tightened, and she nestled against him. "You have a family now. You are home."

And now, IIyana repeats the same words to him, grasps him tightly, and tells him that she loves him. She reminds him of their story, and she reminds him that he atones. Most importantly, she reminds him that he is no longer Fen'Harel but has been renamed by Aria as her papae.


End file.
